Apparatus for raising underwater propulsion elements above a floating waterline

ABSTRACT

A fantail and lower frame portion pivotally hinges above a main deck and pins at the keel to the remainder of a conventional ship. A tail shaft couples externally to a line shaft in the plane of pivoting and pinning. A pair of brackets mounted on the ship&#39;&#39;s structural deck at the fantail junction cooperates pivotally with support members fixed to the fantail and propeller strut in a loose connection. Adjusting apparatus operable within limits of the loose connection in each of three dimensions are fixed between the brackets and support members for precisely adjusting the fantail with respect to the rest of the ship longitudinally, vertically and transversely. A remotely controlled hydraulic double-pin is operable to fix and release the lower frame member to and from bottom structure of the ship.

United States Patent [1 Pazos APPARATUS FOR RAISING UNDERWATER PROPULSION ELEMENTS ABOVE A FLOATING WATERLINE [76] Inventor: Hector V. Pazos, 2728 Valentine Ct., New Orleans, La. 70114 [22] Filed: May 22, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 255,497

[52] US. Cl 115/41 R [51] Int. Cl B63h 5/12 [58] Field of Search..... 115/41 R, 54, 18, 6, 41 HT;

114/77 R; 9/2 R, 2 F, 2 S

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,747,536 5/1956 Russell 115/41 R 2,794,410 6/1957 Oliver 3,512,495 5/1970 Fletcher 114/77 R [451 Feb. 18,1975

Primary Examiner-Trygve M. Blix Assistant Examiner-Charles E. Frankfort Attorney, Agent, or Firmlames 18. Lake, Jr.

[57 ABSTRACT A fantail and lower frame portion pivotally hinges above a main deck and pins at the keel to the remainder of a conventional ship. A tail shaft couples externally to a line shaft in the plane of pivoting and pinning. A pair of brackets mounted on the ships structural deck at the fantail junction cooperates pivotally with support members fixed to the fantail and propeller strut in a loose connection. Adjusting apparatus operable within limits of the loose connection in each of three dimensions are fixed between the brackets and support members for precisely adjusting the fantail with respect to the rest of the ship longitudinally, vertically and transversely. A remotely controlled bydraulic double-pin is operable to fix and release the lower frame member to and from bottom structure of the ship.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing lFigures APPARATUS FOR RAISING UNDERWATER PROPULSION ELEMENTS ABOVE A FLOATING WATERLINE The invention relates generally to floating marine vessels and more particularly to apparatus for and method of raising a vessels stern and underwater propulsion elements clear of the water.

When a ships underwater propulsion elements comprising propeller, tail shaft, tail shaft bearings, rudder and lower frame portion are damaged or need replacing, the ship generally has to be drydocked. Divers can effect a few minor repairs under water but usually only as a stopgap until drydocking.

It is an object of the invention to provide a hingable stern for swinging the underwater propulsion elements upward clear of the water for inspection, repairs, and replacement thereof.

Other objects and a fuller knowledge of the invention may be had by referring to the following specifications, claims and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the after end of a ship showing apparatus of the invention,

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the matter illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial end view of the matter of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along section lines 4-4 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the apparatus of the invention comprises a pair of double brackets 10, transversely spaced apart and mounted on the weather deck 14 on the after part of the ship 18 (partially shown), with a propeller shaft 19 extending below and between said double brackets. A pair of supporting members 20 is rigidly fixed to a separate fantail 22 for said ship 18, and ties into propeller shaft struts 24 and rudder post 26 which is attached to lower frame portion 28. Members 20 extend upward and forward from said fantail 22 and are respectively pivoted and loosely fastened by bearings 30 and pivot pins 32 to respective brackets 10. The loose connections are only for swinging the fantail up and down. Aligning adjustment apparatus 34 provides means for precisely aligning the fantail 22 to the after end of the ship. Hydraulically actuated double pins 36 fasten the lower frame portion 28 to the ships bottom structure 38.

Since each of the double brackets are identical, only one will be described. Each comprises two approximately triangular plates 39. Each plate has two straight edges 40 and 42, and an irregular edge 44. The plates are transversely spaced apart, parallel, and fixed by similar straight edges 42 to a structure deck 14 with the irregular edge extending aft beyond the after end of ship 18. Bearing 30 defining horizontally transverse pivot holes are mounted at the apices of said triangular plates between edges 40 and 44 of double brackets 10. A similar bearing 30 is mounted on the upper end of support member and is adapted to fit between and in alignment with bearings 30 mounted in plates 39. Pivot pin 32 fits loosely in bearings 30 to pivotally join fantail 22 carrying external propulsion apparatus 12 to ship 18. The loose fit permits an exact alignment in three dimensions of the fantail and the after end of the ship by means of the alignment adjustment apparatus 34.

Fore and aft adjustment (longitudinal) is obtained by means'of an elongated bolt 48 pinned at one end to support element 20 and the other end extending through slotted plate 50 fixed to bracket 10. A pair of nuts 52 adapted to screw engage said elongated bolt 48 on both sides of said slotted plate 50 provides in combination fore and aft adjustment with respect to ship 18 by rotating said nuts 52.

Transverse adjustment is obtained by means of a transverse bolt 53 passing through and fixed to support element 20 and extending transversely between brackets 10 and therethrough and beyond. Threaded ends extending beyond brackets 10 are engaged by nut 54, the turning of which moves support element transversely with respect to the ship.

Up and down adjustment (vertical) is obtained by means of a slotted horizontal plate 56 integral with support element 20 that is engaged by vertical bolts 58 to flanges 59 fixed to brackets 10. Nuts '60 engage threaded portions of bolts 58 above and below plate 56, the head of bolt 58 engages the underside of flange 59. Turning nuts 60 raises and lowers the fantail with respect to ship 18.

Referring to FIG. 4, details of the hydraulically actuated locking double pin 36 and associated elements used to lock frame portion 28 to ship bottom structure 38 comprises a female end of frame portion 28 having two legs 64 defining inward opening holes 66 respectively. A male end 68 of ship bottom structure is adapted to fit between legs 64. Said male end 68 defines a transverse cylinder 70 connected with hydraulic lines 72 in the center and at both ends of sylinder 70. Two opposing pistons 74 are mounted in cylinder 70 and have respectively oppositely disposed piston rods 76 extending through opposite ends of said cylinder. Each piston rod 76 is fixed to a piston pin 36 adapted to fit flush in male' end 68 in oppositely disposed alignment when hydraulic lines 72 at ends of-cylinder 70 are pressurized to thereby unpin and permit separation of a lower frame portion and bottom structure. When center hydraulic line is pressurized, the pistons 74 are driven outward to engage pins 36 in holes 66 of legs 64, pins 36 being sufficiently long to remain partially engaged in the male end to thereby lock said lower frame portion to bottom structure.

Tail shaft 19 is connected to line shaft 78 with a loose coupling 80 in a vertical plane including the junction of fantail 22 to ship 18 and the connecting parts. Loose coupling flanges 81 and 82 are bolted together normally. Flange 81 is fixed to tail shaft 19 and flange 82 is removably attached to line shaft 78 in order for the line shaft to be pulled inwardly into ship's rear end for change or repair. A Kort nozzle 84 is shown mounted around propeller 86 in FIG. 1. With fantial and external underwater propulsion elements aligned and in operating position, the fantail can be swung upward for the underwater propulsion elements to clear the water as follow:

Flanges 81 and 82 are unbolted to separate tail shaft from line shaft. Hydraulic lines 72 at ends of cylinder 70 are pressurized to retract pins 36 from holes 64 defined in legs 66. All alignment adjustments are released and the the fantail swung upward. around pivot 30 to raise underwater propulsion elements above water. This procedure is reversed to restore ship to operable and normal condition.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for raising underwater propulsion elements of a marine vessel, having a structural deck and bottom structure, and a line shaft, and comprising: a separate fantail, having a lower frame portion, and means mounting said underwater propulsion elements including a tail shaft; upper connecting means including adjustable aligning means, mounted on said structural deck and upper adjacent end of said fantail for loosely and pivotally fastening said upper adjacent end of said fantail to said structural deck; lower connecting means integral with and engaging in said lower frame portion and said bottom structure; and shaft connecting means fixed on adjacent ends of said line and tail shafts and in plane of said upper and lower connecting means for connecting and disconnecting said shafts.

2. Apparatus for raising underwater propulsion elements as described in claim 1 wherein said upper connecting means comprises: a pair of double brackets, transversely spaced apart equally from said line shaft, fixed to said structural deck, said brackets defining horizontally transverse bearings in their respective upper portions; a pair of supporting members fixed to said fantail and extending upward to define respective bearings adapted to coincide axially with said horizontally transverse bearings of said brackets; and pins respectively adapted to loosely fit said coinciding bearings and pivotally connect said fantail and marine vessel.

3. Upper connecting means as described in claim 2 wherein said adjustable aligning means for each of said pair of brackets comprise: a longitudinal bolt pinned at an end to said support member fixed to said fantail and adjustably bolted at opposite end to said bracket for longitudinal alignment locking; a transverse bolt centrally fixed to said support member and adjustably bolted at both ends to said bracket for transverse alignment and locking; and a vertical bolt fixed to a horizontal of said support member and adjustably bolted to 4 said bracket for vertical alignment and locking.

4. Apparatus for raising underwater propulsion elements as described in claim 1 wherein said lower connecting means comprise: a female part defined in an end of said lower frame portion of said fantail adjacent said bottom structure by longitudinally extending and transversely spaced apart legs, said legs defining opposed concentric holes; a male part integral with said bottom structure adjacent fantail and adapted to engage in said female part, said male part defining locking means for locking said male and female parts together.

5. Lower connecting means as described in claim 4 wherein said locking means comprises: a transverse cylinder defined in said male part of said bottom structure and concentric with said holes defined in said legs of the lower frame portion; opposed pistons mounted in said cylinder and having oppositely disposed piston rods with respectively free ends; pins respectively fixed to said free ends of the piston rods and adapted to fit flush in said male parts when said opposed pistons are centered in said cylinder, and to partially engage in said holes in said legs when pistons are at the ends of said cylinder; and hydraulic pressure means connected to said center and ends of said cylinder for actuating said pistons.

6. Apparatus for raising underwater propulsion elements as described in claim 1 wherein said shaft connecting means comprises: a coupling flange integral with forward end of said tail shaft; a removable flange fixed to an end of said line shaft adjacent tail shaft end; and means for connecting and disconnecting said flanges to and from each other for tail shaft to swing upward with said fantail for repair, and to be fixed to line shaft when fantail is swung downward to operating position. 

1. Apparatus for raising underwater propulsion elements of a marine vessel, having a structural deck and bottom structure, and a line shaft, and comprising: a separatE fantail, having a lower frame portion, and means mounting said underwater propulsion elements including a tail shaft; upper connecting means including adjustable aligning means, mounted on said structural deck and upper adjacent end of said fantail for loosely and pivotally fastening said upper adjacent end of said fantail to said structural deck; lower connecting means integral with and engaging in said lower frame portion and said bottom structure; and shaft connecting means fixed on adjacent ends of said line and tail shafts and in plane of said upper and lower connecting means for connecting and disconnecting said shafts.
 2. Apparatus for raising underwater propulsion elements as described in claim 1 wherein said upper connecting means comprises: a pair of double brackets, transversely spaced apart equally from said line shaft, fixed to said structural deck, said brackets defining horizontally transverse bearings in their respective upper portions; a pair of supporting members fixed to said fantail and extending upward to define respective bearings adapted to coincide axially with said horizontally transverse bearings of said brackets; and pins respectively adapted to loosely fit said coinciding bearings and pivotally connect said fantail and marine vessel.
 3. Upper connecting means as described in claim 2 wherein said adjustable aligning means for each of said pair of brackets comprise: a longitudinal bolt pinned at an end to said support member fixed to said fantail and adjustably bolted at opposite end to said bracket for longitudinal alignment locking; a transverse bolt centrally fixed to said support member and adjustably bolted at both ends to said bracket for transverse alignment and locking; and a vertical bolt fixed to a horizontal of said support member and adjustably bolted to said bracket for vertical alignment and locking.
 4. Apparatus for raising underwater propulsion elements as described in claim 1 wherein said lower connecting means comprise: a female part defined in an end of said lower frame portion of said fantail adjacent said bottom structure by longitudinally extending and transversely spaced apart legs, said legs defining opposed concentric holes; a male part integral with said bottom structure adjacent fantail and adapted to engage in said female part, said male part defining locking means for locking said male and female parts together.
 5. Lower connecting means as described in claim 4 wherein said locking means comprises: a transverse cylinder defined in said male part of said bottom structure and concentric with said holes defined in said legs of the lower frame portion; opposed pistons mounted in said cylinder and having oppositely disposed piston rods with respectively free ends; pins respectively fixed to said free ends of the piston rods and adapted to fit flush in said male parts when said opposed pistons are centered in said cylinder, and to partially engage in said holes in said legs when pistons are at the ends of said cylinder; and hydraulic pressure means connected to said center and ends of said cylinder for actuating said pistons.
 6. Apparatus for raising underwater propulsion elements as described in claim 1 wherein said shaft connecting means comprises: a coupling flange integral with forward end of said tail shaft; a removable flange fixed to an end of said line shaft adjacent tail shaft end; and means for connecting and disconnecting said flanges to and from each other for tail shaft to swing upward with said fantail for repair, and to be fixed to line shaft when fantail is swung downward to operating position. 